DNR Confirms Unusual Black Bear Movement Southeast
Michigan’s black bear population is growing in the Lower Peninsula, with sightings spreading farther south. The DNR confirmed the furthest southeast bear sighting ever recorded.
Black Bears Expanding South Across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula
Michigan’s black bear population is estimated between 12,000 and 12,450 statewide, with more than 10,000 living in the Upper Peninsula. In the Lower Peninsula, the population has grown nearly 60% in recent years, reaching an estimated 2,000 to 2,100 bears.
After spending the winter in hibernation, black bears become highly active in the spring as they search for food to satisfy their post-hibernation hunger. Competition for food and territory can also push some bears to move into new areas in search of better resources.
Recent black bear sightings have been reported in Hudsonville, Cascade Township, Spring Lake, the Muskegon area, Plainfield Township, Grand Rapids Township, and the Owosso area, along with northern Lower Peninsula communities including Traverse City, Gaylord, Petoskey, and Glen Arbor.
Read More: Rare Black Bear Spotted in Hudsonville Neighborhood
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the furthest southeast black bear sighting ever recorded in the state.
DNR Confirms Rare Black Bear Sighting in Southeast
According to CBS Detroit, confirmed black bear sightings in two Southeast Michigan communities mark the furthest southeast black bear sighting ever recorded in Michigan history. A trail camera spotted one bear on May 10 near Carleton in Monroe County.
The second sighting happened in Flat Rock-Rockwood area the next morning on May 11. The sighting was captured on security footage near I-75.
The DNR believes both sightings to be of the same bear.
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Gallery Credit: Mike Brant
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